


Widogast 101: Introduction to Bread

by ThreeGremlinsInATrenchcoat



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Bread, Breadfic, Cultural Differences, Fluff, Food, Light Pining, M/M, POV Essek (third though)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:47:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26816083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThreeGremlinsInATrenchcoat/pseuds/ThreeGremlinsInATrenchcoat
Summary: Caleb finds out that Essek has never eaten bread. He seeks to remedy that as quickly as he can.Or: The wizards eat bread.
Relationships: Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 69
Kudos: 295





	Widogast 101: Introduction to Bread

**Author's Note:**

> I said on tumblr that I would do this. I said it as a joke. But then some people were apparently into the idea so... here we are.
> 
> This is about them eating bread and pining a little. There's nothing more. That's it. Yes, I see the word count.
> 
> Warning: This is very silly.
> 
> Warning the second: I haven't given this my normal level of proofreading due to time.

“You seem disappointed.”

Essek looked up, only then realizing that he had been staring at the ground. A rude thing for him to do while he was being walked home by Caleb. “Apologies. I hadn’t even noticed my thoughts drifting.”

“It’s alright.” Caleb gave him a brief smile. “I realize that it’s none of my business, but if you want to discuss what’s occupying your mind…”

Essek sighed. “It is… a bit silly. But I fear I have disappointed with my choice of dessert to bring.”

“You mean Jester’s reaction to the Umarindaly, ja?” Caleb asked and Essek was relatively certain that he only repeated the name of the dish to show off.

And it was working. “Good pronunciation.” Essek praised with a gentle smile, which then faltered again. “But yes, correct. She asked me to provide a dessert, so I assumed this would appease her.”

“Well, she didn’t _dis_ like it.” Caleb assured.

“But she was disappointed.” Essek sighed. They reached his home and just for a moment, he wasn’t sure whether to perhaps invite Caleb inside. He pressed his lips together. No. Foolish thoughts. He didn’t even have a good excuse.

“She was likely expecting pastries, not, ah, pudding.” Caleb suggested as he came to a halt. He faced Essek.

“It is a specialty here.” Essek pointed out. He held little reverence for his cultural dishes, but he had assumed bringing something sweet and traditional would appease, not disappoint. “I would not know where to start looking for a decent pastry. Those typically require flour.”

Caleb paused. He narrowed his eyes. “And you don’t have that here?” He deduced.

“You didn’t know?”

“I didn’t give it much thought, if I’m honest. I suppose, considering the requirements to grow wheat or other types of grain, it’d make sense… you don’t have any means of importing it?” Caleb pressed and Essek was surprised by his sudden interest in local or non-local grain. Caleb was a wizard, after all. Not a farmer.

“The political climate doesn’t make trade simple. And the Dynasty currently has no interest in importing foods like that. We have sufficient food for the population and a well-rounded cuisine without it.” Essek paused. He remembered Jester’s forced smile when he had presented his rice pudding earlier that night. “Mostly… well-rounded, I suppose.”

“So what do you do about bread?”

The question was shot at Essek with intent and when he looked at Caleb he saw the surprise and shock visible on his face. “…Bread?” Essek echoed, confused by the serious tone Caleb had taken on and the direction the conversation had turned into altogether.

“Ja. Bread. Brot. Made of dough and shaped into a loaf most commonly-“ His hands gestured in the air as though indicating the shape of a loaf of bread. “It has different grain and-“

“I know what bread is.” Essek deadpanned. “We don’t really have it. I suppose there are things you could compare to it but nothing like what I’ve heard of from across the...“ His voice trailed off as he saw a horrified look on Caleb’s face.

“Have you eaten it? When you were in Nicodranas, perhaps?” Caleb questioned and there was a strange tone, almost desperation, in his question.

Essek shifted uncomfortably at the mention of Nicodranas. “No, I have never eaten bread.”

“Understood.” Caleb said simply. “I have to go.” He turned on his heel.

“Caleb?”

“Gute Nacht!” Caleb shouted as he headed off without turning back, leaving Essek confused and alone.

-

The bread incident did not leave Essek’s mind until next morning as he failed to draw any conclusion from it. Caleb was from the Empire. Essek knew that bread was a big thing over there. So, perhaps, disregarding it as unimportant in a nation’s cuisine had been offensive to him?

Essek cringed at the thought as he finished his dress routine. He certainly hadn’t meant to offend something that Caleb cared about. Even if that something was… bread.

Though, really, Caleb had never been the type to be offended by anything like that. Not to Essek’s knowledge, at least. And wasn’t it equally offensive to disrespect a nation’s _disinterest_ in bread? Essek shook his head. He needed to get his mind-

“Hallo, Essek. Guten Morgen. I am out front, may I come in?”

Essek startled at the sudden intrusion in his head. Caleb was… out front? He was visiting? He swallowed. “Just a moment.” He replied before stepping back over to his mirror and fixing up his hair a second time. He looked at his reflection closely, tilting his head to view all the angles to ensure that he was presentable.

Then he hurried to his front door and opened it.

Sure enough, Caleb was at his gate, waiting. Confused but not put-off, Essek gestured for the gate to open via use of his magic and Caleb stepped through it and began to approach. As he walked, Essek couldn’t help but feel somewhat awkward. He wasn’t sure whether to stare at Caleb or to look away. Or whether to, perhaps, offer a polite wave?

He ended up just lingering, observing Caleb and being released from his state of discomfort as he arrived.

“Good morning.” He greeted with a smile. “I hope I am not bothering you. Do you have some time?”

“Good morning to you, as well. You are not bothering me.” He hesitated. There were things on his schedule for the day. But looking at Caleb, whose face was framed by loose strands of copper, whose smile was soft and heart-warming and whose eyes sparked with interest … surely he could push some responsibilities back a few hours. “I have time.”

“Wundervoll! I hope you haven’t eaten breakfast, yet?”

Essek skipped breakfast. This suggestion made him feel like that routine was about to be broken. “I haven’t… I assume you want to come in, then?”

“Ja, if that would be possible.”

In response Essek opened the door wider, allowing Caleb to come in, before closing it again. The situation was a bit confusing. Essek did not recall extending an invitation for breakfast to him. And he had not brought the rest of his group. Perhaps the question about breakfast had been unrelated? “If you wish to study, I suggest we go-“

“Ah, no.” Caleb interrupted. “Apologies, I didn’t mean to- I didn’t come for magic. For once.”

“Right?”

“Ja, yes. I- You said you had never eaten bread and I have come to remedy that. If you’re interested.”

“And how would… how would you remedy this?”

“I have brought some.” Caleb must have noticed Essek’s quirked eyebrow. “Ah, by magical means.”

Essek paused. “You’ve _brought_ bread.”

“I have, ja.”

Essek paused and looked at Caleb. “From the… _Empire_.” He tested.

“Ja.”

“Overnight.” He probed.

“I assumed you would be the last person to be surprised by fast, international travel.” Caleb pointed out.

“The possibility of it, yes.” Essek agreed. “But the… application- Did you- You used your more powerful magical abilities to travel to the Empire, then. For _bread_?”

“There was no other way to get it here unless we wanted to bake it. And even then…” Caleb stopped himself. “If you are not interested, I can bring this back to the Xhorhaus, it is no problem.”

And leave when he had just gotten there? “No, no, I am very interested, I was simply establishing the history of the… the bread.” Essek shook his head. “Please, follow me.”

Caleb rewarded the assent with a smile and Essek turned to lead him to the dining room, the lights coming to life with their entrance.

“Have a seat.” Essek offered before going over to a shelf to gather some plates – did bread go on plates? – to bring to the table.

“Danke.” Caleb claimed a chair by tossing his coat over its back. “Ah, perhaps a cutting board would be good?”

Essek gave a nod with a small smile. “I will be back in a moment.”

He left to his kitchen to retrieve a large wooden cutting board. As he returned, Caleb was… doing magic. Which, admittedly, Essek had not expected to relate to bread in any way.

Caleb was hunched over some pieces of amber, doing a few gestures and in a flash something appeared: A pile. Of bread.

Essek’s mouth opened a little in surprise as he examined the almost architectural display. Piled on his dinner table were different types of bread; square, round, dark, light, small, big and all Essek’s mind did in response was produce an image of Caleb sauntering into an Empire bakery and demanding their entire inventory before assembling it into a pile and vanishing it into his amber.

It was a lot of bread. Essek had never eaten bread so perhaps he was not familiar with what constituted as a large amount of it. But, even then, that seemed like _a lot_ of bread. More than Caleb and him could ever hope to consume in a week, let alone in a single sitting. Caleb always seemed so sensible against the chaotic backdrop of the all but manic Mighty Nein. And it was moments like these that reminded Essek that he was, in fact, just as strange and wild as the rest of them. It was deeply endearing.

“I suppose these won’t suffice.” Essek said, indicating his cutting board. He put it on the table.

Caleb turned to him at that. “No, it will be great. Do you have any sort of-“ Caleb paused. “I suppose you don’t have a bread knife.”

“… A bread knife?” Essek wasn’t sure why that surprised him. There were knives for special meats and vegetables, after all. But somehow, the existence of a type of knife just for bread seemed… excessive.

“Ja. It’s long and its blade is-“ Caleb shook his head lightly. “Nevermind, it is not necessary.”

Essek gave a nod. He hoped Caleb wasn’t put off by the absence of a ‘bread knife’, but he seemed to remain in the – especially for him – high spirits he had arrived in. And while Essek perhaps did not care too much for bread, that tone of voice and lighter-than-usual mood was reason enough to humor Caleb and keep him there. “Shall I retrieve a regular knife, then?”

“Ah…” Caleb looked over his pile of bread. “If you do not mind.”

Essek nodded gently and swiftly went back to his kitchen a second time. He opened his knife drawer and considered the options. He selected one with a long blade which was what Caleb had managed to describe before cutting himself off. Knife in hand, he returned to the dining room with the comically sized pile of bread. Caleb seemed to have been waiting for him as he sat down only when Essek approached the table. Essek considered his options and decided to sit down on the chair directly beside Caleb. “I wasn’t aware that there was… this much variety.” He pointed out, trying to spin a thread of conversation.

“Ah, there would have been more but… To be fair, I also brought some treats.” Caleb admitted with a sheepish smile. He took the knife and looked at the pile. “Is there any one that piques your interest?”

Essek looked over once more. There were numerous shapes, sizes, colorations and what appeared to be things like nuts or grain or fruit stuck to the outside. He had no idea what his options were or what those options were named or would taste like. He felt a bit overwhelmed. “I think I will simply defer to the expert.”

Caleb cracked a smile. “Very well. Something simple to start with, then.” He reached out and selected a sizeable bread of a medium brown. Its outside was dusted with flour and it had an almost oblong shape. “This is called Mischbrot, or, ah, Graubrot in some part of the Empire. So, ah, mixed bread or grey bread in Common.” Caleb set it down on the cutting board. He planted his palm on top of the loaf and then set the blade down to cut downward near the end. “It’s, I would say, it is the most common type of bread.”

Essek watched as Caleb started to cut the loaf with a sawing motion. A rough cutting noise filled the air. “And this is made with wheat flour, then?”

“About half of the flour is wheat, yes. The other half is made of rye. A different kind of grain.” Caleb explained as the knife met the cutting board, the small round endpiece toppling over. Inside, the bread was much less dark and had a more greyish tint than the exterior. Caleb set to cut off another piece.

“I think this will be a very short taste test if you cut each of us a full slice.” Essek pointed out. Still uncertain about just how filling bread was, but still certain that the quantity sitting on his table was rather large.

“Ah, I’m not.” Caleb explained as he sawed into the loaf again. “I’m just getting a better piece. Many people don’t like the, ah, Knippchen _?_ The end pieces. Because they have so much crust. I wouldn’t want your first impression to be, ah, ruined by that.”

“Is the crust not edible, then?”

Caleb laughed softly. “Nein, it is fine to eat. It is just a bit tougher and has a bit more of the burn-taste of the oven. Not that is actually burnt or anything.” He cut another slice and then cut that one in half. “There we are.” He picked up one of the halves and offered it to Essek.

Essek regarded the piece and took it gingerly into his hand. “Do you not normally put something on top?”

“Ja, that is how it’s commonly done, but it’s perfectly good on its own. Better for a first taste, I think.” He took the other half and took a bite from the soft, cut side.

Taking note of this, Essek turned his piece around so the cut side was facing him instead of the curved small one. He felt a bit of nervousness creep into his consciousness, unsure of where it hailed from. He forced it down as he could feel expectations positively radiating from Caleb beside him. So he bit into it. Immediately, an unfamiliar taste hit his tongue. It was… interesting. The consistency was soft and spongy, the taste… _different_. No real word came to mind. It definitely tasted baked; it had that note to it that food prepared in an oven tended to have. But other than that it was just odd. Perhaps closest to rice, if Essek had to make a choice, but still very different. There was a minor sour tinge to it. He swallowed. He looked at Caleb who was looking at him expectantly.

“Do you not like it?”

Essek wondered what face he must have made to indicate so but he quickly shook his head. “I was considering the taste. It’s… interesting. It’s normal to just eat this by hand, yes?”

“Ja.” Caleb nodded.

Essek looked back at the half slice, a half-circle missing where he bit into it. He went in again to catch a bit of the crust that appeared to be so controversial. Caleb had been right, it was a bit tougher, resisting his bite initially. He chewed in thought, feeling the tough bit of the crust stand out from the rest in his mouth. It was very lightly bitter, but not very noticeably so. He swallowed a second time. There was a moment of silence. “I like it.”

Caleb’s eyes lit up in excitement, like he himself was the baker behind the bread. “That is- That is good. Not that… Well, not that liking bread is a requirement for- Much of anything, I suppose.” Essek noticed that his slice was already gone.

“I appreciate you sharing it.” Essek offered a smile. “It appears you are quite fond of it.” He bit into it again, thinking it impolite to just leave the bitten piece over. Caleb had finished his, as well, after all.

“Ah, well…” Caleb paused. “Perhaps.” He agreed. His eyes took on a distant look. “Perhaps I wanted to share… a part of my home.” There was something soft and wistful about his demeanor.

Essek blinked at the sudden quietness and vulnerability. He wanted to say something. He didn’t know what.

“Anyway.” Caleb turned his attention back to bread pile. “Do you want to try another?”

“Is it okay to leave it just cut like this? It will not spoil?” Essek asked, looking at the loaf.

“It will, eventually. We should cover it up when cleaning so that it won’t go stale. After that, it has a few days until it starts to spoil.” Caleb explained. “It will be fine for now. Is there any particular type you would like to try? Anything that looks interesting?”

There was something extremely sweet about Caleb treating this so seriously. His interest and enthusiasm was terribly infectious. Feeling a little more empowered by the knowledge of what bread actually tasted like, Essek looked over the bread pile – he couldn’t tell whether it was getting more or less ridiculous each time he looked at it – and tried to hone in on one that seemed interesting. There was one peeking out of the pile that looked simply like a dark cuboid with very straight edges. “How about that one?” Essek indicated it.

Caleb looked at it and nodded. “A Pumpernickel. You have taken a liking to rye.” He declared and the unfamiliar syllables needed a second to arrange themselves properly in Essek’s head after he’d heard them.

He trusted his better judgment not to try and echo the name out loud but mouthed it without sound before finishing his piece of the grey bread.

Caleb put the other bread aside and replaced it with the Pumper-something. It really was a dark-looking cuboid, oddly straight in comparison to all the more rounded loafs. “It’s called Schwarzbrot in some places.” Caleb taught and Essek wondered just how much bread-related knowledge was stored in that head of his as he began cutting a slice. This one was as dark on the inside as it was on the outside. It looked a bit different in texture, too, with individual grains being visible where the first bread had had a much more homogenous inside. In a repeat of earlier, Caleb cut off the end piece and then another one, which he split in the middle before offering a half to Essek.

Intrigued by this strange, dark bread, Essek took the slice. He was surprised. It was much heavier, much more dense than the first one. “Is it supposed to be this different?”

Caleb smirked. “Ja. It’s made of… what’s the Common phrase… In Zemnian it’s Schrot, it means that instead of reducing it to flour, the grain – rye – was instead left in very small chunks.”

“I see. And why is this done?”

Caleb paused. “I… It just is?” He shrugged. “This type of bread is very long-lasting. Perhaps that is why?” Without another word he bit into his side.

Essek felt the dense, moist texture against his fingertips. He took a bite. Immediately, he noted how different this one was. It broke apart more easily, though very differently, and was heavier on his tongue. The taste was reminiscent of the first bread but still very different. That sour note was there again, very subtly, but this time combined with a very faint sweetness. He swallowed the bite. “It’s a tiny bit sweet, I didn’t expect that.”

“Ja, as far as I know it’s because of a chemical reaction during the baking process.” Caleb nodded, his own bite long swallowed.

“It’s very interesting, it’s so different from the first one.” Essek said.

“It is a bit of an outlier, overall.” Caleb mused. “Most kinds are more like the Mischbrot.”

“I see.” Essek said.

“Do you like this one more? Or the first one?” Caleb asked with a curious glint to his eye.

“Hmmm. I’m not sure.” Essek inclined his head. He bit into the slice again. Both tasted so unlike anything he had had before it was hard to wrap his head around choices without relying on what simply tasted most like what he knew. He swallowed. “I find them difficult to compare.”

“Alright, that is reasonable.”

“Which do you prefer?” Essek asked, realizing that he was not being a good conversational partner in all of this.

“The Mischbrot, overall. Though there are some dishes that use Pumpernickel as an ingredient.” Caleb explained. “There are many applications for bread.”

Essek didn’t know whether it was the bread talking or whether it was that warmth that seemed to be radiating from Caleb’s every move that day but he felt a boldness in himself. “I hope you will show me those applications sometime.”

Caleb paused and a visible flush crept over his cheeks and for a moment Essek worried he had said too much and made his guest uncomfortable. “Ja. Gerne _.”_ He muttered before shoving the rest of his bread slice into his mouth with vigor.

Feeling his own face beginning to heat up Essek turned his attention back to the bread pile – still ridiculous. “What is that one?”

Caleb looked at the indicated loaf. It was another dark one, but its surface looked odd, a bit cracked. It reminded Essek of depictions of a floor breaking apart due to extreme heat. “Ah. At the bakery they called this a Dinkelkruste.” He picked it up. “Dinkel is spelt, and Kruste means crust. What’s special about it is that the crust of this one is very, ah, crunchy.”

“I thought the crust was controversial?”

Caleb snorted as he replaced the weird dense bread with the weird breaking-apart bread. “Well, it is a thing of taste, ja?”

“Is there a reason they didn’t do this one with wheat?” Essek asked.

“Preference, I would assume. You can also find this with a rye-wheat mix, I-“ He hesitated and looked over the pile. “I brought both variations if you would rather try that one.”

“Not at all.” Essek offered a polite smile. He finished his piece of the strange, dense bread as Caleb got to work. 

Caleb made quick work of cutting it and offering Essek half a slice again. “I would suggest biting into the crunchy part.”

Essek nodded. He didn’t know why part of him insisted on watching Caleb do it first. It wasn’t like he expected to be poisoned or anything. He had not felt safer or more at ease in weeks, he noticed. But somehow it felt a little more secure to emulate him. And there was something extremely mesmerizing about the way he took a hearty bite out of the slice, the way he lightly tore at the rind, the way he- Essek hastily bit into his spelt-crust-bread. The crust really did have a delightful crunching sensation as he bit down on it. The inside was much like the first bread. Light and chewy. Essek liked the taste of that one. The crunchy part had a delicious oven-based taste to it and the inside was mild and pleasant.

Caleb swallowed audibly. “You like that one?”

Had he been that obvious? “It does have a very nice crust.”

Caleb nodded. “It’s a bit more unconventional than the first two.” He explained. “But I like it very much, too.”

“Unconventional, yes?” Essek mused. “I really did not expect for there to be this many… options.”

“It is a thing of culture, ja?” Caleb gave him a small smile. “There is something very, ah, cozy about freshly baked bread. To me, at least.”

“I can tell.” Essek smiled back gently. It was surprising to see Caleb enthused about anything but magic, but it was not unwelcome. “So is this usually eaten every day by someone in the Empire, or…?”

“In most families, ja.” Caleb said.

“I see. Well, I understand why you were, shall I say, shocked about my inexperience regarding bread.” Essek explained. “If it is that important in your home country.”

“Ah, I may have overreacted a bit.” Caleb blushed and averted his eyes. “I apologize, I know this is a lot.”

“No worries. This is a valuable opportunity for me to learn. And I am grateful for it.” Essek assured.

Caleb replied not with words but with a smile and for a moment Essek forgot what they had been talking about. There was a lingering gaze, a thread shared between the two of them and Essek started to feel the weight of the cumulating seconds of them looking at each other. For a moment, he thought- But then Caleb looked away. “Do you, ah, want to try some more?”

Essek felt himself deflate as he averted his own gaze, staring at the table instead. He wasn’t entirely sure what he had expected. Or _whether_ he had expected anything at all, but somehow he felt a little disappointed nonetheless. “Yes, gladly.” He tried to maintain a neutral tone of voice.

“Well- What would you like?”

Essek looked back at the pile, doing his best to avoid looking at Caleb lest he meet his gaze again. “Perhaps you could educate me on the numerous options somewhat?”

“Ja, sure.” Caleb nodded and Essek noted that he wasn’t looking at him, either. “Well there is wheat-based bread with, ah, walnuts, which is this one right here,” Caleb gestured to one of the loafs. “Then there are several types of, ah, seeds, like poppy and pumpkin and… Then I brought some buns of different makes. And, ah, pretzels…”

“What?”

“Pretzels? Brezeln _?”_ Caleb looked around the bread pile and produced- _well._

It was a weird looking thing. It looked to be a string of dough, the ends of which came together in a corkscrew fashion and then were laced over a different part of it. It was of a medium brown with a slightly reddish tint and a slight gleam. The thickest part of it had split open to reveal a very light, almost white inside and there was salt sprinkled all over it. It looked absolutely _bizarre._ “What… _is_ that?”

“A pretzel.” Caleb said simply and the amused smirk twitching the corners of his lips upward wasn’t lost on Essek.

“Yes, you have said as much. But I would require further clarification.” Essek explained, staring the oddly shaped pastry down.

“Right, well. It’s made with wheat flour and yeast and the, specific part about it-“

“-is its shape?” Essek completed.

“Ah, nein. Well, yes. But not only. Before baking it, it is dipped into an alkaline solution for, I believe, a few seconds.” Caleb explained.

“An alkaline solution?”

“Of sodium hydroxide, ja.” Caleb nodded, he handed the pretzel over to Essek, who began to inspect it.

That explained the light shine to the exterior, Essek supposed. “But why the shape?” He shot Caleb a look. “Does it mean anything? Pertain to any cultural phenomenon or faith?”

Caleb chuckled lightly and Essek felt the sound ripple in his chest so he looked back down at the oddly shaped thing in his hands. “Not as far as I’m aware. I think it just has something to do with the baking technique? But, ah, I am actually not sure.”

Essek gave a tentative nod as he looked over the pretzel. “How do you cut this?”

“You don’t. Well, ah, that is wrong. You can just cut it parallel to its width,” Caleb made a sideways cutting motion with one hand and a flat palm with his other. “But mostly, you would eat it as is. … let me split it in the middle for us.”

 _Us._ That word resonated in Essek’s head and for a second, he was lost. Caleb gently took the pretzel from Essek’s hands and cut it in half right at the center before handing one piece to Essek again. Without further ado, Caleb bit into it, going for the big part first.

So Essek mirrored this. He was surprised. The dough was relatively neutral in taste, it was mild and pleasant. But it was _very_ soft and chewy. Single pieces of salt crunched in between his teeth but not unpleasantly so. He liked it. He chewed and swallowed and bit into it again. The thinner the dough string became, the crunchier it was.

Eventually, weirdly enchanted by this strange pastry with a strange shape and a strange creation process, Essek had finished his entire half and he found Caleb eyeing him with a gentle smile. Heat collected in his cheeks. “I, er-“

“Liked it?” Caleb offered with a genuine smile.

Essek paused and he answered Caleb’s smile with his own, though he could feel it quaking with nervousness. “Yes.” He cleared his throat. “Would, er, would this be considered something more like a treat?”

“A snack, ja.” Caleb replied. “Though you could eat it for a meal if you wanted. There are… well, it is a food. There are about as many limitations about your consumption of it as there is with any other relatively readily available food. Readily available in the Empire, I mean.”

“Of course.” That made sense. “Is this something that you like?”

“Ja, very much.” Caleb smiled. “It, er, it reminds me of... a different time.” That distant look returned, as did the wistful tone of voice. He looked at the remainder of his half. “When I had a… proper home in the Empire, much of this food was a very regular part of my day-to-day.”

Essek considered him. “I see.” He wanted to ask about it, but he didn’t want to pry and risk Caleb closing off.

Caleb’s mind appeared to drift for another few moments before he blinked and looked at Essek. “I am sorry, I did not want to interrupt this with sentimentality.”

“Please, don’t apologize. I understand the significance that something like this can carry in someone’s life.” Essek assured. “Especially if it relates to memory. If you wish to speak about it, I will listen.”

Caleb paused. “Someday.” He said. “Someday soon, I will tell you. I promise.”

Though he wasn’t sure what exactly he was going to be told, he had an estimation of parts of Caleb’s past and with his tone of voice and demeanor, the promise felt heavy and meaningful.

“Are you, ah, up for another one?” Caleb tried to change the subject back to the reason for their meeting and Essek let him.

“I must admit that I am getting close to having had my fill for the morning, I believe. But, I think one more would be possible.” Essek said with a smile.

“Alright. You said you were not fond of sweets but we could end on a mildly sweet note?” Caleb suggested, attention already back on the bread pile.

“Mildly sweet?”

“Ja.”

“… Sure, why not.” Essek shrugged. He had already been surprised several times this morning, he supposed letting himself try a final sample couldn’t hurt.

Caleb smiled. “Wundervoll. Do you want to try plain, with raisins or with chocolate?”

Essek blinked. “Plain, perhaps, to start?”

Caleb nodded. He dug around the bread pile and produced another loaf that must have been baked in some kind of cuboid form. Unlike the bread with the name that was so far from Essek’s mind that it could perhaps be found in Tal’Dorei, its top was convex with a split going down the length of it. It was very light in color, a very soft yellow-golden hue. Once again, Caleb planted it gently on top of the cutting board.

“Does this type have a name?” Essek asked gently.

“Ah. Ja. It’s called a Weck. Though I have heard it referred to as a Stuten _._ It is made with yeast and has a high amount of butter and sugar.” Caleb explained as he began to cut slices from the loaf.

Essek gave a small nod in understanding. He had a hard time imagining such a thing as a stand-in for the other, not sweet types of bread he had tasted so far. “Is this more like a dessert then?”

“Not quite.” Caleb replied as he put the end piece aside to cut a slice. On the inside, the loaf was nearly white, Essek noted. “More like a treat? Or breakfast, perhaps.”

“A breakfast bread…” Essek mused and he accepted the offered light piece of bread.

“Ah, not specifically, but it is a possible application.”

“Is bread eaten with every meal in the Empire, then?” Essek inquired as he looked over the slice he had been offered. No visible grains or bits, no hard crust, either.

“No, but it is commonly eaten as a meal with something on top. Or as a side to soups. Or-,” Caleb paused. “If I were to go through all of it we would be here a while.” He offered a dry laugh. “Suffice it to say, it is an important part of the cuisine. Ah, the, ah, Zemnian word for ‘dinner’ is even partially named after it.”

“And what would that word be?”

“Ah, Abendbrot.” Caleb said. “It literally translates to ‘evening bread’.” He hesitated. “I realize I am talking quite a bit.” He looked at the slice of white bread still in his hand. “Apologies.”

“No need.” Essek smiled. “You remember that I like to learn, yes?” He didn’t mention how much he additionally enjoyed Caleb’s company, Caleb’s words in his ears and this weirdly quaint occasion of the two of them having a cultural exchange of sorts.

“If you are certain.” Caleb shot him a look and Essek noticed a smile tugging at his lips. “Ah, shall we?” Caleb indicated his slice by raising it lightly and after being provided a nod from Essek, he bit in.

Essek followed suit. It was once again a weirdly different but similar experience at the same time. The texture was very similar to the grey bread they had shared before, but it was much lighter and airier and a bit less moist, but not unpleasantly so. The taste was very mild and slightly sweet, like Caleb had indicated. The bread almost melted away on his tongue and he finished the slice with a few quick bites. He wasn’t partial to sweets or desserts, never had been, but this was surprisingly pleasant.

“How was it?” Caleb asked and Essek saw that he had finished his slice, as well.

“Pleasant.” Essek spoke the first word that came to his mind. “Not overwhelmingly sweet. Like you indicated before, I suppose.”

Caleb smiled and Essek’s heart melted a little. He noticed that it was an expression that he couldn’t get enough of. “That, ah- I’m glad.” He hesitated and fumbled with the hem of his shirt. “Well, ah, that concludes that, I suppose. I should get going. I have taken up a lot of your time with my nonsense.” He laughed briefly and wryly.

Essek frowned slightly. “It was no nonsense to me.” He assured. “I am - how do I put it - somewhat flattered that you would be interested in sharing this piece of your home with me.” His eyes drifted over to the bread pile. “This, er, _large_ piece.”

“Hah.” Caleb looked at the pile, too. “I may have gone a bit overboard with the… selection.”

“I believe the total quantity of something cannot be called a selection of it, Mr. Widogast.” Essek pointed out with a good-natured tone.

“Ah, ja. But I believe that different bakeries around the Empire would have had different more regional things.” Caleb explained. “So it is, in a sense, still a selection of _all_ available types of bread.”

“I see. Fair enough, then, I suppose.” Essek smirked and he decided not to try to calculate just how many kinds of bread could be found all across the Dwendalian Empire.

“So do you have a verdict?”

“About the bread?” Essek asked.

“Ja.”

“It is very enjoyable. I do understand why Empire natives would eat it a lot.” Essek’s smile became more genuine.

“Ah, good. Then you won’t mind if I leave this here?” Caleb inquired and his tone of voice indicated humor.

“I appreciate the gesture, but there is no way I can finish even a fraction of this by myself, Caleb.”

“Ah…,” Caleb averted his eyes to look back at the table. “I suppose you’ll have to invite someone to help then, ja?”

Essek blinked. He felt something in his chest, like a powerful thrum had disturbed that gentle _beat beat beat_ of his heart. He hesitated, afraid that he was reading too much into an innocent suggestion. “I-“ He felt his throat a little tighter than it had been a moment before. Caleb _was_ suggesting more friendly visits, then? Without actual teaching or politics or anything that had defined the start of their friendship. But probably not without- “I suppose you and your friends you be great help, yes.” He looked away.

There was a moment of dead silence before Caleb answered. “Ja, I believe we would be.” His tone was much less jovial than it had been a moment before.

Essek cursed himself stupid in his head as he felt something crumble in the atmosphere.

Another moment passed. Caleb stood up. “Well, I believe it is- I have been- The Nein must be wondering where I am and I wouldn’t want them to-“ He shook his head as none of his sentences seemed to want to conclude.

“I understand.” Essek got up as well.

“Should I, ah- I would gladly gift all this to you,” He gestured toward the bread pile. “But I do not want to be a nuisance to you or cause you trouble, so if you would rather that I take it…”

Essek considered the amount of bread that he was definitely, absolutely and certainly not able to consume on his own. But he felt like he was stepping on something between him and Caleb already and he didn’t want to cause further damage by indicating that he had no interest in what Caleb had offered. “How about I keep half and, perhaps, you could introduce me to the other half some other time?”

Caleb nodded. “Alright.” He began to lay out his amber spread.

Half was still much more than was realistically consumable but Essek imagined he could at least try all types this way. It took Caleb a few moments to cast and then, almost instantaneously, the bread pile was halved.

“There we go.” Caleb said barely loudly enough for Essek to hear. He looked at the dinner table. “I can help you clean up?”

Essek shook his head. “Thank you but I can take care of it just fine.”

“In Ordnung _._ ” Caleb nodded and he sounded strangely curt. “Shall I-?”

“I will walk you out, of course.” Essek offered.

And with an accepting nod they were off to the front door. Essek felt something uncomfortable in his gut and he knew it wasn’t the bread. There had been something and he had broken it and although he couldn’t put proper words to that ‘something’, not even in his head, he felt the uncomfortable, heavy weight of regret.

This unnamable thing, emotion, bond had been there for a while. It had been there during each of their interactions, no matter how purely professional. And, over time, it had begun to be there even when Caleb wasn’t. And something about Caleb’s behavior, about his offer that day had seemed to make that odd thing stronger.

They reached the door.

“Well, ah, thank you for the hospitality.” Caleb said with a definitive air of finality about him.

“Thank you for the bread.” Essek replied and he tried for a smile but it felt wrong on his face.

“I will see you… around then, I suppose?”

“If you decide to spend time in Rosohna, yes, of course.” Essek assured. Caleb gave a nod and there was something dejected about it and he turned to the door and- “I would like that.” Essek added quickly. “For us to meet again. Perhaps-“ He didn’t know what he was doing. He felt like he was in free fall. “Perhaps, I could properly introduce you to Xhorhassian cuisine sometime?”

Caleb looked back at him for a long moment and Essek noticed, like had noticed many times before, that Caleb’s eyes were a stunning shade of blue. He looked aside. “Ja, I think the group would-“

“Just you.” The interruption burst out before Essek had a chance to consider it. And though he felt his throat close up once more, though he felt the heat burning beneath the skin of his cheeks, he pushed on. “I will of course educate all of you if that is what you require, but, perhaps, if you are so inclined… I could- It could start with the two of us?” He felt his shoulders tense up. “There is no obligation, of course.”

Caleb found his eyes with his own. “How would … how am I to imagine this tasting of Xhorhassian food?”

“Well, I was thinking perhaps…” Essek held his gaze and some of the confidence that had skittered away with his mistake came dripping back into his voice and demeanor. “You could come over some evening, say tomorrow, and I would have acquired a variety of dishes to try?” He leaned a bit closer. “We have no bread for ‘evening bread’, but we have a fine array of wines that I would be glad to show you.”

Caleb smiled and something sparked in his eyes that Essek wasn’t sure he would have been able to identify if he tried. “I will gladly accept this invitation. I… I am looking forward to it.” He turned lightly as an indication to leave.

Essek felt the now permanent thrumming in his chest and for a split second his breath seemed to have escaped his lungs. “Delightful.” He opened the door for him.

Caleb stepped through but turned back to look at Essek once more. “One last thing about this… tasting. Would I be wise to tell the Nein not to wait up for me?”

Essek swallowed. “Perhaps you would be, yes.”

“Wundervoll _._ ”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this silly thing about Caleb properly deflouring Essek.
> 
> Comments and kudos are appreciated <3
> 
> -
> 
> I think Caleb translates almost all of the German but here are the tiny ones he doesn't:
> 
> "Gute Nacht." - "Goodnight."  
> "Ja, gerne." - "Yes, I'd like that/I'd like to."  
> "In Ordnung." - "Alright"  
> "Wundervoll." - "Wonderful."  
> "Guten Morgen." - "Good morning."


End file.
